Chapter 53 – The Waterway Fort Rebellion

Chapter 53 – The Waterway Fort Rebellion

“······What?”

Seriously, what was it?

San-ho was witnessing another bizarre sight.

“Hup!”

“······.”

This was because Un-jo was running wild as if he were going to annihilate the water bandits of the Waterway Fort.

“Why aren't you guys doing your jobs, making me search for you? I thought I was going to die of motion sickness.”

Only then did San-ho seem to understand the meaning of the expression Un-jo had made. Was the expression he had mistaken for excitement actually a setup for revenge? He could not help but wonder how on earth that temper had been hidden until now.

The Jianghu was truly not easy.

“Is-is this guy crazy······ Aaaaargh!!”

“Let go of me! Argh!!”

Along with thunderous screams, the water bandits of the Waterway Fort were thrown one after another into the air.

“······.”

Stronghold Leader Geum-myeong gasped, his mouth wide open, at the sound of the fading screams.

‘What… is this?’

If they clashed weapons, countering would not have been difficult. Un-jo throwing people around like luggage was simply unfamiliar.

If they rushed in before having a chance to attack, he threw them; if they thrust a spear, he threw them along with the spear; if they swung a sword, he lowered his body, grabbed their legs, and threw them.

The subordinate who had just whispered to Geum-myeong also flew into the air.

Splash!! Splash!

······They fell in. The water bandits…… fell into the river.

Geum-myeong could not hide his astonishment at the situation that unfolded in an instant.

The water bandits who had fallen into the water climbed back onto the boat. Soaking wet, the water bandits ground their teeth and rushed at Un-jo. However, the exact same situation only repeated itself.

If subjugation had been the goal, it would have been a largely meaningless action, but it was extremely effective in throwing the opponents into chaos. In the middle of the Yangtze River, an asura dressed in silk clothes was running wild.

Geum-myeong's body froze for a moment at the discrepancy between what he had imagined in his head and reality.

However, Geum-myeong was not the only one feeling that discrepancy.

San-ho, who had been dazed for a moment, regained his senses and spoke.

“Senior, if you throw them all like that, who are we going to ask······.”

…the questions?

When San-ho spoke with a lukewarm expression, Un-jo stopped his hands as if he had just realized.

“Ah, that's right.”

Un-jo, whose expression had now cleared up, nodded his head toward Geum-myeong. It meant to come closer.

“Yes?! Yes, yes!!”

Geum-myeong stood before the two of them, clutching his trembling legs.

It was true that he was flustered by the bizarre situation, but there was another reason why he lost his will to fight without even launching a proper attack.

“Excuse me.”

“······!!”

As San-ho approached, Geum-myeong's body flinched violently.

He knew. He knew which side was the truly dangerous one. Like a herbivore sensing danger, his body trembled uncontrollably.

This was because he had definitely seen it. Whenever the guy throwing his subordinates was in danger, eyes would gleam sharply from behind him. It was not that he had backed away and refrained from fighting. It was just that he had not revealed himself.

There was a reason why the water bandits remaining on the fast boat kept shooting arrows but not a single one hit. All incoming attacks were struck down, and the weapons in their hands were rendered useless. All so that Un-jo could run wild to his heart's content.

‘···Just what on earth is this guy······.’

It was a speed difficult to track even with the eyes. He wanted to believe it was an illusion that the guy had caught a flying arrow with his bare hand and shot it back to hit the archer on the fast boat.

Catching an arrow in midair and throwing it back. It was something unheard of.

Only one thing was certain. If this guy set his mind to it, their lives could not be guaranteed.

Tilting his head as he looked at Geum-myeong, who was terrified by the unprecedented situation, San-ho asked,

“We are looking for the Chief Stronghold Leader. Where can we go to meet him?”

“·········!!”

At the unexpected question, Geum-myeong's eyes widened in shock.

Although he had known they were unusual lunatics from their very first words asking why they had made them search because they weren't working.

“I asked you where he is.”

“T-that, I cannot say!!”

To think they would be looking for the Chief Stronghold Leader of the Yangtze River Waterway Fort.

Was he not someone with the position and power to drown them all with just a glance? Geum-myeong shook his head firmly.

At that moment, Un-jo's eyes flashed ominously.

“Oh, is that so···is that how it is? That's great.”

Huh? Great?

Trembling, Geum-myeong raised his head at the strange reply.

“I was feeling a bit disappointed since it's been a while.”

Crack. Crackle.

Un-jo approached, cracking his neck from side to side.

“It seems you can't remember yet, but that's fine. We have plenty of time.”

Gulp. At the gaze like a beast in front of its prey, Geum-myeong realized the reality he was facing.

Ah···. The problem wasn't that I might die later; I could die right now, couldn't I······?

Crunch.

Grabbing him by the collar, Un-jo spoke with a beaming smile.

“If you happen to remember, just raise your hand. Got it?”

Because if you speak, I might not hear you·····.

“·········!!!”

Thwack!

Just as Geum-myeong was about to say something to the quietly muttered following sentence, a fully pulled-back fist flew first. The metallic taste of blood spread instantly inside his burst mouth.

Crack!

Shivering at the continuous sounds of blows, San-ho wrapped his arms around himself and muttered.

“So there was a reason the store owner sent him along···.”

Was he really the same waiter who got hit by Gwang-baek and flew away on the first day?

It was not easy to feel sympathy for the water bandits who had been threatening them just moments ago, but Un-jo somehow managed to make him do so. The sight of him streaming nosebleed was unsightly. Wait, is that guy crying······?

Making eye contact with Geum-myeong, who was shedding both nosebleed and tears, San-ho carefully called out to Un-jo.

“Um··· Senior. He has had both hands up for a while now. Could it mean he's surrendering?”

“Oh, you're right. I did tell him to raise his hand when he remembered. He must have remembered just now.”

······He has been in that state for a while now, though.

San-ho did not bother to say the last part and nodded lukewarmly.

“Sniff, y-young master···. I remember everything. Yes, I recall every single detail! Sniff, I'll tell you everything, so please let go of this······.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Un-jo release the collar he was holding and pat down the clothes to tidy them up. However, the miserably crumpled red martial robe did not look like it would easily regain its shape from just that.

“So, where is the Chief Stronghold Leader right now?”

“T-that, I also don't really know······.”

Crack.

When the desired answer did not return, the veins on Un-jo's fist bulged. At the globally understood threat, Geum-myeong hurriedly screamed.

“Hieek!! W-wait a minute! It's not that I won't tell you, I really don't know!!”

“What?”

“The Stronghold Leader o-originally doesn't stay in one place long! Besides, the situation being what it is right now···.”

Doubt filled the faces of the two at Geum-myeong's words.

“What's the situation right now?”

“Well, that is···.”

At the response that kept dragging out the words, Un-jo frowned deeply.

“Sigh···. Do you know how many times I rode boats on the Yangtze River for seven days just to meet a lazy Waterway Fort? If you made us wait this long, you should feel sorry. If you make me ask again one more time, just see what happens, huh?”

‘The Yangtze River is so vast···. and this is my first time getting scolded for a Waterway Fort not doing Waterway Fort activities······.’

Although it seemed a few tears had actually fallen, in any case, Geum-myeong wanted to cry desperately right now. But the asura right in front of him was scarier than Yama who would come later. Yielding to fear at last, Geum-myeong opened his mouth.

“Sniff, young master, you also know that the master of the Waterway Fort has changed, right?”

“What about it?”

“Lately, the guys who followed the former Chief Stronghold Leader have been causing trouble···. so Fist Demon is personally keeping them in check.”

“Well··· so he is away to keep his own people in check?”

“What kind of trouble are they causing that he even had to go and keep them in check?”

Sniffling from his running nosebleed at their questions, Geum-myeong recalled the past.

“Sniff, ten years ago when movement between regions decreased due to an epidemic, the Chief Stronghold Leader unreasonably raised the toll and blocked the Yangtze River. In the end, the government and the Martial Alliance intervened, and the Waterway Fort was completely ruined back then.”

“·········.”

“Of course, that is such a famous incident that it's impossible not to know.”

A historical event where the government and the Martial Alliance broke the unspoken rule of non-intervention between the government and the martial world to launch a massive sweep operation. It was an incident that everyone in the Central Plains knew. It was also around that time that Fist Demon began to be counted among the Ten Venerables of the Martial World.

“The one who unified the ruined Waterway Forts into one and ascended to become the new ruler of the Yangtze River in one fell swoop···. is none other than the current Chief Stronghold Leader, Fist Demon.”

“What connection does that have to the current matter?”

“At that time, the Chief Stronghold Leader established a rule: to only accept the designated toll and forbid unnecessary killing. Sniff, because the same thing must not happen again. However, gradually, guys who were dissatisfied with that began to emerge······.”

“So there were guys who went beyond that.”

“Yes. Because there have been more troubles lately, I really do not know where the Chief Stronghold Leader is.”

‘So…’

So some reckless bastards had emerged who opposed the Chief Stronghold Leader's policy of conducting Waterway Fort activities moderately to make it last. As San-ho organized his thoughts, Un-jo spoke to him with a serious face.

“San-ho. If the rebel forces within the Waterway Fort have grown in strength as this man says···.”

“······Before we even meet the Chief Stronghold Leader, someone else might take that position.”

Groan.

San-ho pressed his temples with an annoyed expression. To think so many complications would be involved in just finding a single memory. It was a fact he had not known when he decided to set out into the Jianghu.

‘Gosh···. It is damn hard to even see his face once.’

No matter how much of the Fist Demon of the Ten Venerables of the Martial World he was, it was difficult to predict how an internal rebellion rife with betrayal would unfold. If by some chance someone attacked Tae Ju-ha before we found him······.

‘No way. This is a clue I managed to get after so much trouble.’

San-ho sighed deeply.

He had thought they only needed to find him, but they were about to get involved in a power struggle before they could even meet. And of all things, a power struggle between water bandits. The Jianghu was truly not easy.

“The rebel forces you mentioned, where are they?”

“······Yes?”

“Don't the other Waterway Forts have territories they are in charge of? There must also be fortresses where they stay. Which of them is causing trouble right now?”

“·········.”

At San-ho's unexpected question, Geum-myeong only bit his lips.

‘I've been wondering since they first started looking for the Chief Stronghold Leader···. what is their true goal? It doesn't seem to be subjugation.’

“······Should I throw you in? Do you want to finish thinking underwater?”

“No, sniff, it's not that! Young master. I was just… trying to draw it on the map so you can find them easily…”

After a brief hesitation, Geum-myeong, vividly recalling the terror from moments ago, began to rattle off the information he knew.

San-ho shook his head at the sight of Un-jo threatening an unorthodox martial artist.

***

Geum-myeong noisily unfolded a map he had brought out from the fast boat.

“As you know, there are a total of eighteen Waterway Forts throughout the Yangtze River. Sniff, among them, the ones showing suspicious signs recently are here, here, and·········.”

Pointing with his finger to the locations, he diligently poured out the information he knew.

“So… out of the eighteen Waterway Forts, there are five rebel forces in total. And the one at the center of it is right here, the Moon-Dominating Stronghold in Jianli, right?”

“That's correct. The Stronghold Leader of the Moon-Dominating Stronghold is notorious for being extremely cruel, yes. He was formerly in the position of Deputy Stronghold Leader.”

San-ho fell into thought, chewing over the information that came from Geum-myeong's mouth.

‘He said that the signs from the rebel forces have been unusual lately. That they haven't even responded since a few days ago. The Chief Stronghold Leader can't possibly be unaware of that fact. If it were me…’

The center of this rebellion. He would have gone straight to the Moon-Dominating Stronghold.

“Let's go to the Moon-Dominating Stronghold.”

San-ho said in a firm voice, pointing at Jianli on the map.

‘They're finally leaving. Purpose or whatever, please just get the hell out quickly… If I stay with these crazy bastards any longer, who knows when my life will end······.’

Geum-myeong breathed a sigh of relief at the news of their departure, but his relief was short-lived.

“What are you doing?”

“·········?”

San-ho pointed with his chin toward the subordinates floating in the river.

“Aren't you going to fish them out?”